Webinar Sheds Light on Hidden Household Air Toxins

A public webinar titled “Hidden Toxins in Household Air” was held on July 18, 2025, in conjunction with the National Poison Prevention Programme 2025. The event took place online via Webex and was streamed live on the Centre’s official Facebook and YouTube channels from 9:00 to 11:00 am.

The featured speaker was Dr. Syazwan Aizat Bin Ismail, an Environmental and Occupational Health Lecturer and Environment Monitoring Sensor Expert at PRN. The session was moderated by Mr. Mohamed Nazri Bin Mohamed Tahir.

A total of 106 participants attended remotely, comprising a mix of health professionals, academic staff, and members of the public. Attendance figures by platform were as follows: 51 on Webex, 35 via Facebook Live, and 20 through YouTube Live. Of the overall attendees, 93 were USM staff.

Dr. Syazwan’s presentation explored the dangers of indoor air pollution that often go unnoticed in daily life. Topics covered included fine particles, hazardous gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PFAS chemicals, microorganisms, and sources of pollution from everyday activities. Attendees also learned about health risks and simple preventive measures that can be adopted at home.

The webinar introduced smart technologies such as IoT-enabled Smart Air Quality Meters, supporting the Centre’s “Predict. Prevent. Thrive.” initiative. The event concluded with an interactive quiz on Sliido, involving 83 participants; the five fastest responders each won RM300 e-wallet prizes.

Overall, the webinar effectively raised public awareness of domestic air pollution risks and prevention strategies. As an additional incentive, USM staff who joined received two Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points.